Typically, carrier stock with individual container-receiving apertures for machine application to substantially identical containers is formed, as by die-cutting, from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene.
An example of such stock for machine application to substantially identical containers in three longitudinal rows of indeterminate length is disclosed in Klygis U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,331. As disclosed therein, such stock may be transversely severed, after it has been applied to such containers, to produce packages with three containers, six containers, or other multiples of three containers. A suitable machine for applying such stock is disclosed in Benno et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,949.
Heretofore, carrier stock formed from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, for machine application to substantially identical containers and severable into individual carriers with separate apertures to receive the individual containers has not been available with integral handles on such carriers.